There Ain't No Rest For The Wicked
by Miss Scarlet Darkness
Summary: REWRITE! Set after S3E4 - A friend of Ada's is called in to look after Tommy. He's still recovering from his injuries, and a doctor is needed. He doesn't like her to begin with but after a while things aren't what they seem. Will contain spoilers, eventually Tommy/OC. Rated T for swearing, fighting and gang related themes. May change rating. (Crap summary I'm sorry! Please R&R!)
1. Chapter One

**Set after Season 3 Episode 4**

**John's POV**

The telephone call was short, Ada told John to be at Birmingham station for 11 o'clock, and to look out for carriage number 3. John was now sat on a bench where the station master said the first class carriage should roughly stop. He'd only been waiting for ten minutes when a train pulled into the station. John stood and walked to the correct carriage. The door was opened by a teenage boy, who proceeded to unload a two large cases and what looked like a doctor's bag onto a trolley. The boy spotted John and touched his cap.

He leaned into the carriage, "Mr Shelby is 'ere miss."

He held out a hand into the carriage; a long slender hand in a leather glove took it. The hand was followed by smart yet oddly dressed woman. She turned to face John and smiled.

"Good morning Mr Shelby. I am sorry for the late notice. I didn't know if I could make it till late last night."

In heeled shoes she was eye to eye with John, to him she was tall for a woman, Esme barely made it to his shoulders. She was slim yet with some muscle on her bones, as far as John could see under all her layers of clothes. Tanned skin, with dark auburn hair curled back into a bun. Light brown eyes framed with many dark lashes stood out from under her hat. She had a light smattering of freckles across her face. Three scars marred her features, the smallest sat under her right eye on her cheekbone about two inches in length. The longest one ran the length of her right cheek, from near by her ear to the corner of her mouth. The deepest sat on the edge of the left side of her jaw, two inches lower and it would have slit her throat. They stood out starkly, three pale white lines against her tanned skin.

John stepped forward, "John. I thought I'd be picking up a male Doc. No offence."

She smiled at him, the scar pulling her lips making it crocked. "Nina, I get it all the time. It's nice to meet one of Ada's brothers at last, I've heard so many things about you."

"Ada told me to be as quick as I can."

"Well lead the way."

John turned and began to walk out of the station Nina fell into step beside him, a porter followed the two with her luggage. Outside the station sat John's new car, it was brand new and top of the line Bentley.

Nina let out a low whistle, "Nice. It won the Le Mans last year. It's a hell of a car."

John stared at Nina as if she'd grown another head. She saw him staring, "Right, no car talk."

John snapped back, "Sorry I just didn't expect it." He turned to the porter, "Luggage in the back, and watch the paint"

**Nina's POV**

I couldn't believe the size of the house, even the old medical school wasn't this big. John parked the car at the end of the long drive. A footman came to open my door and help me out the car and another took my cases and doctors bag from the car. The footman who helped me out of the took the keys from John. The man who held my bags disappeared into the house.

John escorted me up the steps and into the house, I caught sight of my bags vanishing up the stairs. "Ada is up the normally in the drawing room, It's this way.

John turned and began to walk in a different direction than my bags just disappeared. Not wanting to get lost in the big house I followed him. We walked down a few corridors and came to a closed door. John turned the handle and the door swung open.

"Ada. I've lost the Doc."

Over John's shoulder I could see Ada stand and frown at him. He pushed the door open wider and stepped into revealing me.

Ada rushed round the desk and towards me, crushing me into a hug. "Nina. God am I glad to see you. Thank you for coming so soon. Mary, thank you. Some tea would be lovely if you please."

A grey haired woman in a black dress nodded and left the room. Ada pulled me further into the room, towards an older woman sitting on a sofa near a small fire. John had taken a seat the other side of the room with two other men, one older than him and one younger.

"Nina, this is my aunt Polly. Aunt Polly, this was the Doctor I told you about."

I held my hand out and Polly shook it, she had a strong grip for a woman. "Ada told me you looked after Karl."

I smiled, "I did, I was on rotation in London when I got sent to Ada."

We all sat and Polly stared at me across the table. "London hospitals don't train women."

"I studied in Oxford, under my uncle. I did most of my training during the war."

Polly softened her gaze, "Then maybe with you, there's hope for us yet."

Two maids came in carrying a tea tray each, they were followed by another maid holding onto Karl's hand. When Karl saw he slipped out of her grip and ran towards me and scrambled into my lap.

"Nina!" he threw his arms round my neck.

"Karl you have grown."

"I didn't believe it when mummy told me you were coming. Did you bring me anything!"

"Karl, don't be so rude." Ada chastised him.

I smiled at the boy, "only if you behave I might have something for you."

He nodded and climbed off my lap and went to sit next to Polly. One of the maids poured us tea while the other poured tea for the men. Once they left, Polly light her cigarette.

"Right. Tea and a smoke then down to business."


	2. Chapter Two

A.N. - This story will be set in the three month gap at the beginning of Season 3 Episode 5, eventually it will rejoin back into the story line.

_**Nina POV**_

I exhaled smoke through my nose and frowned at the doctor's report in my lap. It was not good news, three weeks in hospital, first two with a halo so Tommy didn't do anymore damage. Skull fractures are never an easy thing to come back from, you don't know what damage could have been done in the long term.

I closed the folder and placed it on the table. "It's pretty bad, but not as bad as it could have been."

Ada let out a sigh of relief, Polly just kept staring at me.

"The doctors in the hospital did a good job, now he just needs rest and recovery. He only spent three weeks in the hospital, it's not long enough. Damage like this can take a minimum of three months to regain some normality. Even then he could still suffer with ill effects because of the trauma."

Polly nodded. "Well you're job is to get him to rest. Cause God knows he won't listen to any of us."

I smiled at her, "It will be no problem. I've dealt with much worse. The field hospital was hell on earth."

"Where were you stationed?" Arthur asked from across the room.

"Verdun, The Somme and Dunkirk mainly. But I did some rotation back into the fixed hospitals and convalescent wards."

Arthur and John looked at me, I smiled at them. "I'm not as soft as I look"

Ada placed her teacup down, "That's why I suggested her."

Polly took another pull on her cigarette, "I have faith in her."

Ada stood, "I'll show you around then to your room, you can freshen up before dinner."

I stood and bid farewell to those in the room and followed Ada out of the lounge, Karl by my side.

Ada pointed down a long corridor, "down there is the kitchen and some other parlour rooms."

We began to climb the stairs. When we passed a room or short corridor she would tell me who's room was there. We soon turned down a small corridor, there was a good sized window at the end with a comfy looking window seat. There were only two doors down the corridor, one either side. Ada opened the door for the one on the left and stepped in, Karl and I followed.

The room was exquisite, larger than I have ever seen for one bedroom. It was twice the size of my childhood sitting room. It

"So the door there leads to the bathroom and the door opposite your room is a small reading room. I thought you could turn into a sort of temporary office. There's a phone line and a big enough desk, also some storage for your notes."

I hugged her, "It's more than perfect ada thank you."

Karl who was squidged between us wiggled out. "So what about my present."

"Karl!" Ada exclaimed.

Dinner with the Shelby's was quite an affair. It was loud and very chaotic. I finally got to meet little Charles who Ada had told me much about. I was more than pleased when Arthur, John and Michael took their leave. Polly had not long retired to her room after men left. I followed Ada upstairs with a sleeping Charles in my arms. She showed Karl into his room across from hers with instructions to get into his pyjamas and cleaned his teeth before she got back.

We continued up the corridor, passed room and continued to just three doors down. Ada opened the door to a beautiful nursery, Ada switched on a small lamp that bathed the room in a low golden glow. I laid Charles down on the little changing table and began to undress him. Ada appeared beside me with his night clothes in her hand.

"I'll finish up here Ada, could you go grab my bag from the office and i'll check on your brother after i've put Charlie to bed."

Ada smiled at me, "You've gone soft on him already."

I huffed, she left and I could hear her humming back down the corridor. Charlie had stirred when I put him down and was now staring up at me with his big blue eyes. I made light work of changing his nappy and dressing him in his little striped nightshirt. He babbled to me and took great interest in his left foot. Once he was dressed I picked him back up and cuddled him to my chest. He gripped onto a strand of my hair that had escaped my bun.

We stood in front of the window looking out onto the dark grounds. I began swaying and started quietly singing a romani nursery rhyme. Part way through Charlie's gripped had slackened on my loose curl. I heard a door open and shut almost silently, I paid no notice thinking it was Ada coming back with my bag.

"Who are you and what the fuck are you doing in my house?"

I turned to see who must be Thomas Shelby pointing a gun at me.

I made sure that Charlie had his head buried in my neck so he couldn't see his father with a gun.

"I'm Nina Rossini, A doctor. Ada invited to your house to look after you."

Thankfully Ada appeared behind her brother.

"Tommy for fucks sake put the gun down!" she hissed.

Tommy lowered the gun and I got a good look at his face. He was pale, his hair stuck to his forehead from perspiration. He looked ill, eye piercing blue eyes were struggling to stay focused.

"Thank you Ada. Why don't you take Mr. Shelby back to bed, I'll put Charlie down."

Ada almost dragged her sick brother back to his room across the hall, while whispering to him furiously. I laid the sleeping Charlie on his back into the cot, I pulled the covers over him tucking around him. I left the door slightly ajar and made my way over to Tommy's room, I gave a slight knock before opening the door.

Ada had managed to get Tommy back into bed, he was now sitting up leaning against the headboard. Ada had left my bag at the foot of the bed and was now flitting around the room tidying it.

"Hello, Mr. Shelby. How are you feeling." i asked.

He just stared at me with those blue eyes, "I had my head cracked open."

I tried to ignore the sarcasm and began looking through my bag, "Well then I take it. I've read through your notes from the hospital, it looks like you are recovering very well. I think we still might need to keep you on pain relief a little while longer."

He grunted, "I hate that stuff."

"Don't worry i'm going to put you on a slightly lower dose, and use some other types during the day time."

I pulled out a small bottle of morphine, "We're just going to use this a night time."

He huffed in response, I poured some of the morphine into a small measuring cup then handing it to Tommy. "Down in one please."

Tommy took the glass and quickly drank the contents. He handed the now empty glass back to me. "I'm going to leave you to rest now, and i shall have a more thorough look at you in the morning."

Tommy didn't even reply he just shuffled back down the bed to sleep. I packed my bag back up and followed Ada back out of the room. Once the door was shut I let out a shaky breath.

Ada and I began back down the corridor, "Sorry about that. Since Grace died he's been on edge."

I nodded, "That's understandable, I'm sure it will get better."

We reached my door and Ada placed a hand on my arm. "We do need you here I hope Tommy didn't scare you off. Get some rest and I shall come and wake you in the morning."

I smiled at my friend. "I've had much worse than Thomas Shelby. I'll still be here and thank you i'm sure i'll be awake long before you my dear."

Ada laughed, "I'm sure you will, excuse me I have to go make sure Karl's ready for bed. Goodnight Nina."

"Goodnight Ada."

I turned down my little passageway and into my room. I placed my doctors bag on the table. Pulling off my waistcoat and leaving it on the back of a chair, I made my way to the bathroom. Turning on the warm tap and let the water fill the sink. I washed away my makeup, the soot from the train ride and the stress of today.

I stared into the mirror water dripping of my face, "What have I gotten myself into?"


	3. Chapter Three

A.N - The small wood burning in Nina's room has a flat top so you could in theory place the old style kettle on it. Also sorry for the long wait. Enjoy!

Nina's POV

I slept all the way through the night. I was that tired from travelling that I didn't even wake from one nightmare that night. By the time I did wake the sun was just starting to creep over the horizon. I had always been an early riser, my time in the army doing long shifts in the field hospital cemented that part of my routine. The fire in the wood burner had burned down to almost nothing, I spent a couple of minutes bring it back to life. I collected the small tin kettle from my trunk and filled it with water from the bathroom tap. I set it on the top of the stove to warm. I looked at the clock on the mantle, it showed that it was a little after 6. I made the decision to see if Charlie was awake. I put my dressing gown over my night dress and stepped out of my room.

When I got closer to Charlie's room I could hear him babbling to himself. As soon as I opened my door and Charlie his talking became even more excited, a mixture of words and nonsense. Charlie held his arms out to me so I reached down into his crib and picked him up. This time I recognised the sound of Thomas opening his door and the shuffling of his feet on the carpet. I turned to see him standing in charlie's door frame in a undershirt and trousers, his braces hung against his legs.

"I was just coming to see to him."

I smiled at him, "It's fine, i'm more than used to looking after a little one. It's like being at home."

Thomas just stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. Charlie had laid his head on my shoulder and was playing with a curl.

I cleared my throat. "Would you like some tea?"

Tommy nodded, "I'll ring a maid."

"There's no need. I've put the kettle on in my room."

Tommy stepped out of the way. I picked up Charlie's blanket from his cot and draped it over his back. We began to walk down the corridor, I walked at Tommy's speed. Even though he's only been out of the hospital a couple of days, he tried to put on a brave face and walk normally. When we reached my room I could already hear the kettle beginning to whistle through the door. I placed Charlie on the sofa and used the rag I left on the table to take the kettle of the small wood burner.

"So do you always bring a kettle with you?" Tommy asked. He made himself comfy in the armchair at the end of the sofa.

"It just became a force of habit. I'm used to bringing all sorts in my luggage."

I opened my tea chest that I'd left on the coffee table. It was a present from my grandmother. Thomas watched with fascination as I produced two cups and saucers, a box of tea and a small tea pot.

"Do you have an oven in your case?" Thomas asked with a smirk on his face.

I laughed, "My grandmother taught us to always travel prepared. It comes in handy in all sorts of situations. Medical or personal, I find that some teas does a lot more good than some medicines can."

I added tea leaves to the teapot and poured the hot water in from the kettle. I left it to steep and sat next to Charles on the sofa. I could feel Thomas looking at me.

"For a woman you're not shy for a man to see you in your nightgown."

I smiled and tried not to laugh. "Out of all the things you want to ask me and you go for that one."

Thomas lit a cigarette, "well?"

"I was an army doctor. Sometimes you didn't have time to change out of your nightie and into your uniform."

Thomas nodded. "How did you know I've got questions about you?"

I met his his ice blue stare. "I can see it in your eyes and face. You trust me enough because Polly and Ada gave me their approval. But you still don't know much about me, apart from what Ada has told you. All good things I hope."

"How do you know Polly approves of you?"

"Do you really think she would of let me stay if she didn't like me. I know how much family means to you Shelby's, Polly knew it could've gone either way when Karl was sick. As for Ada, that woman could talk the ear off a dead horse. Of course she would have told you about me and I know you love your sister, she would have made a sensible choice."

Thomas half smiled at me. "I think we'll get on just fine Doc."

I placed a cup in front of Tommy, "also you're not the first gangster I've had to look after. But I will admit, you are the most stubborn."

Thomas eyes me warily.

"I'm not a secret spy Mr Shelby. Most of the men in London who hold ground served in the war. There's always underlying trust between service men and army doctors. We've been through it as well, we know what we're talking about. Like how the morphine helps you sleep by making the shovels fall silent."

Thomas just kept his piercing eyes on me. He reached for my cigarettes that I left on the table. He light one and deeply inhaled.

"I won't treat you as a child Mr Shelby. But when I give my medical opinion and ask you to do things I expect a certain level of compliance."

Thomas flicked ash into the ashtray, "Well in that case doc. I think we'll get along just fine."

After my morning tea with Thomas and Charlie, Thomas had retired back to his room to get dressed. Ada had found me not long after with Charlie on my lap reading from one of my books I had brought with me. Ada had taken Charlie to change him and dress him for the day, leaving me to dress myself. I had mostly brought clothes that I considered my doctors uniform, trousers and shirts. The other clothes in my case was one slightly fancy dress and a couple of long skirts. I did not feel comfortable dressing in skirts or dresses anymore, trousers were so much practical. After washing and dressing, Ada came back for me then with Charlie and Karl in tow, lead me through the house to the kitchen. The whole family apart from Thomas was there. Everyone was talking over each other, Karl was chasing a few children I didn't recognise.

When we entered Polly handed me a cup and saucer. "What's your plan for today?"

I took a lent against the kitchen side next to Polly, "Hopefully I'll try to get some form of assessment done, then agree on some sort of recovery plan. It will be halfway between what's practical and what Thomas wants."

Polly nodded taking a drag from her cigarette, "He's going to be a tough one to control."

I took a mouthful of the lukewarm tea. It was far too sweet and milky but I drank it anyway.

"I thought I'd take breakfast up and break the ice. "

"What are you a nursemaid? He's a grown man." Arthur laughed.

"He's a grown man with fracture skull, cerebral hemorrhage, concussion and possible damage to several vertebrae. If this was Verdun or the Somme he would have been pumped full of Morphine and left to die. Luckily this is England and we have the equipment for him to survive."

Arthur and John both stared at me not knowing what to say. I could feel Polly's icy gale bore into my skull. Ada was sat next to Karl at the island, feeding Charlie.

"I told you she'd be fine."

Polly began to cook some toast and makeup a tray for Tommy. I helped her make a small pot of tea and load up the tray. Once the tray was full she handed it off to me.

She rested a hand over mine. "Please get him to eat something."

I nodded and began my journey back upstairs with the tray. When I got to Thomas's room I managed to balance the tray with one hand, with help from the border on the wall. I knocked and waited for Thomas's answer before entering.

He had undressed back down to his boxers and was slouched against the headboard smoking. The room was very warm compared to the rest of the house, it was stuffy too with all the cigarette smoke. I placed the tray on the foot of the bed and opened the window at the furthest end of the room. Thomas was sat up straighter and had reached for the tea cup.

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

I nodded leaning against the footboard. "It's to be expected. Sleep is good for you."

Thomas said nothing just sipping the tea between lungfuls of smoke.

"I have the doctors report from the hospital, but i'd like to repeat some of the tests."

Thomas nodded, "That's fine."

"And Polly told me that you haven't eaten much."

Thomas just stared at me.

"I expect half of that toast gone by the time I get back."

I left Thomas's room and walked down the corridor to mine. Knowing I had left my doctor's bag in my trunk I began to rummage in the closet. As I opened the trunk, seeing it empty without my bag I began to panic. Just as my panic reached its peak, a maid exited the bathroom both of us frightening each other.

"I'm so sorry miss. I didn't think you'd be back yet."

"It's fine. Have you by any chance seen a black bag?"

"Yes miss I put it… Miss Ada told me to put it out of the children's reach. I'll go get it."

Before I could reply the maid bobbed a curtsy and escaped the room. I brushed back a curl which had escaped my bun. I grabbed my pen from my handbag and a new note book I had left in my case. The maid was back in no time at all with my bag, with only a few clues as what Ada had been up to. I thanked her and made my way back to Thomas's room.


End file.
